According to the research, a man shaves three thousand hours during his average life span. Despite that much time spent, most men are not satisfied with the shaving experience they have had. It is possible to have clean and healthy skin by shaving with both a machine and a razor. However, shaving is a very demanding task especially when it's done by using a safety razor and it must be done with care. At this point, there are some tricks to be aware of when shaving with a safety razor. It is possible to prevent your face from getting irritated by shaving by following the right steps. Particular attention should be paid to certain points when shaving with a safety razor.
How to shave with a Safety Razor?
Choose warm water instead of hot water
Before starting to shave, you should wash your face with warm water several times. This process will open the pores on your face and soften your skin. The water in which you wash your face must be quite warm. Using hot instead of warm water will damage the natural oils on your skin and keep your skin dry. This will directly affect your shaving experience.
Don’t forget to soak your brush in warm water for a while
Before you start using your brush, you need to soak it in warm water for a while and let it soften. However, the temperature of the water you will use at this stage is also especially important in order not to damage your brush. Cracks may occur on the body of the brush that you will keep in hot water instead of warm water, and even the adhesive holding the bristles together may melt due to the heat and your shaving brush may be damaged as a result. For this reason, it will be beneficial to soak your brush in warm water for a short time before you start shaving.
Use moisturizer before shaving
The most important step before shaving with a safety razor is to moisturize the face. Shaving dry skin can cause serious damage to your skin. The pre-shaving lotions(oils) that you will use are highly effective in smoothing your skin. In addition to softening your skin, these oils, which also soften your beard, will help the safety razor slip on your face easily without getting stuck anywhere. Finally, after moisturizing, wipe your face once with warm water to remove excess oil from your skin. Using a water-soluble pre-shaving oil before shaving will greatly increase your shaving experience.
Be careful with the razors you use
Remember to always use a sharp razor blade. When you see that the razor you use starts to deform, replace it. An average razor will last you up to 6 shaves. The extra shaves you try to do with a dull razor will cause serious damage to your skin.
Apply shaving foam to your face
Some people prefer to use shaving cream while others use shaving foam. Shaving cream is a more traditional product and you need to lather it before using it. you can use after straining your brush, which you soak in warm water, to lather the shaving cream. Add a little water to the shaving cream you apply to your shaving bowl and lather with your brush for 45-50 seconds. Then apply it directly to your face with the help of your brush. In shaving foams, the foaming time does not exceed 5 seconds, and you can apply it directly to your face with the help of a brush. Be careful not to press the brush too hard and apply the foam to your face by drawing circular movements. If you are a person with a hard beard, keeping the foam on your face for 30 seconds will make your beard soften and give you a more comfortable shave.
Try to hold the safety razor at a 30-degree angle
Due to the design of safety razors, the contact angle of the razor with your skin should be 30 degrees while shaving. Safety razors, which are made to prevent the razor from contacting directly with the human body, provide an effective shave only when held at an angle of 30 degrees. The most difficult point in getting used to shaving with safety razors is at this stage.
Use short strokes with little pressure
Excessive pressure and long strokes can cause the razor blade to injure you. Apply 1.5-2-inch movements each time to finish the shave. In addition, before you start shaving, soaking your safety razor in warm water will be more effective than shaving with a cold razor.
Shave according to the direction of your beard growth
Beards grow down on the upper part of your face and upwards from the bottom of your chin to your neck. Therefore, shaving according to these directions will reduce the risk of irritation on your skin. In addition, excessive stretching of your skin while shaving can damage the hair follicles. We recommend that you pay attention to this when shaving your neck area.
Trim 2 or 3 times for an effective shave
After shaving your entire face, applying the same procedure 1 or 2 more times will help you get the beards that you could not get the first time. Additional trimming shaves that you will do by repeating the same procedures will provide you with smooth skin.
Rinse your face and apply aftershave lotion
After shaving, wash your face with warm water first and clean your face thoroughly. Then wash your face one more time with cold water. Washing with cold water will close the pores on your skin. It is important to apply the aftershave lotion after drying your face in order to balance the oil balance in your skin again.